Dragons win Cardiff Uni Freshers Tournament
Squad: Jen Smith (6), Josh Cockburn (6), Joey Niblett (5), Pete Obee (5), Claire Knowles (3), Sian Hunt (3), Steve Fung (3), Helen Gubby (1), Julie Saunders (1), Jack McNamara (0), guests: Nikki Walters, Rhys(from Brum Uni).
Dragons began the season with a morale-boosting win in the Cardiff University Freshers Tournament, winning 8-5 against Cardiff City in the final. While the two club sides had a considerable advantage over the university sides competing, which had to include 4 beginners apiece, they still had to work hard to get their results. A couple of late withdrawals meant our only beginner was Claire, though if all beginners played as well as she did, then we’d probably have been better to have had more!
The tournament itself was very well run, a big improvement on the season before, with Bristol, Birmingham, Nottingham, Sheffield and Reading Universities all represented, as well as 3 sides from Cardiff itself.
Dragons won 5 out of 6 games in the group stages, the single defeat coming to a very accurate shooting Birmingham side, though both Sheffield Uni and Bristol Uni pushed us hard. With Cardiff City having won the other pool, we went straight from the pool games to the final. With the boys from both sides shooting well, it was the shooting of the girls that made the difference, with Jen getting a hat-trick and Jules and Claire both scoring as well. City were never completely out of it, but Dragons managed to maintain at least a 2 goal margin for most of the match.
Results:
- 2-0 vs Sheffield, (Joey 2)
- 6-2 vs Cardiff 3, (Pete 2, Helen, Jen, Josh, Steve)
- 2-1 vs Bristol 2, (Josh 2)
- 3-6 vs Birmingham 1 (Joey, Pete, Steve)
- 4-0 vs Cardiff 1 (Claire 2, Joey, Jen)
- 8-1 vs Nottingham (Sian 3, Pete 2, Jen, Joey, Josh)
- 8-5 vs Cardiff City (Jen 3, Josh 2, Claire, Julie, Steve)Â
